Currier Brings Hidden Harnett Masterwork to the Public

Wednesday, 05 July 2006 10:52

MANCHESTER, NH – The Currier Museum of Art has announced the acquisition of a major still-life painting, A Royal Dessert, 1881, by William Michael Harnett (1848-1892), one of America’s most important late nineteenth century painters.  The painting depicts a still life of fruit, glassware, and other objects arranged on a tabletop.

Until recently, the whereabouts of this painting was unknown to curators, art historians and dealers.  For over 60 years it had belonged to Virginia Crocker Baker in Peterborough, NH whose husband’s grandmother had given it to her as a wedding present.  After the painting survived a serious fire unscathed in 2001, Mrs. Baker decided it deserved a safer home and a wider audience.  In a creative act of generosity, Mrs. Baker donated A Royal Dessert to both the Currier Museum and the Harris Center in Hancock, NH.

The last time A Royal Dessert was exhibited publicly was in 1883 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, in an exhibition of contemporary American art.  “It is a great thrill for a museum to ‘discover’ a new painting, especially one of this high caliber,” said Susan Strickler, Director of the Currier.  “With discoveries like this there is the opportunity to learn more about the artist and to understand his contribution to the field of American art.”

William Michael Harnett was the subject of a major exhibition that traveled in 1992 to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.  He was one of the foremost late 19^th-century American masters.  Born in Ireland, he was raised in Philadelphia, where he became an engraver and began his art studies at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.  In the 1870s, Harnett continued his work and training in New York City, where he first began to exhibit paintings.  By 1880 his success permitted him to travel to Europe to study the Old Masters, and A Royal Dessert was painted during the two years he spent in Munich.  In 1886 he returned to New York City and enjoyed an active career painting and exhibiting until he died at the young age of 44.

A Royal Dessert is a feast for the eyes, containing a number of objects that can be found in other paintings by Harnett, including the Colorado Madeira cigar box, the cloth draped on the table, the cigar holder and the section of newspaper – the Supplement to the Philadelphia Ledger – that hangs over the edge of the table and extends into the viewer’s space.  Harnett’s convincing rendering of illusionistic space, of detail and of texture made him a master of the category of still life painting known as trompe l’oeil, or “fool the eye.”  Close inspection reveals blemishes on the apples, the delicate etching on the glass decanter with a reflection of light from the window on the side of the decanter and shining through the wine, creating a rose hued pool of light on the tabletop.  Perhaps better known for his still-life compositions of books, musical instruments and pipes painted in darker tones of browns and grays, A Royal Dessert is enlivened by a more colorful palette that includes harmonious greens, yellows, blues, and reds that shine with light and realism.

About the Currier Museum of Art
The Currier Museum is an internationally renowned museum featuring European and American paintings, decorative arts, photographs and sculpture.  The collection includes works by Picasso, Monet, O'Keeffe, and Wyeth – with exhibitions, tours, and performances year-round.  The associated Currier Art Center provides a wide range of art classes and programs for children and adults.  The museum also owns Frank Lloyd Wright’s Zimmerman House.

Visit www.currier.org.